


How It Happened

by fineh



Category: One Day at a Time (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Pre-Series, latinx family traditions, the alvarez's welcome a new year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-09 23:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13492362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fineh/pseuds/fineh
Summary: “What the hell?!” Her landlord was dripping wet on the sidewalk below. Schmidt. Schneider. Steven. Something like that.“Fuck,” Cursing softly Penelope chastises herself, she should have put more thought into throwing water off the third floor. Or checked to see if there was anyone below her building.In which a new member is added to their family.





	How It Happened

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I am ripping off the episode title because I can't think right now because season two murdered me. I cried so much it gave me a headache. 
> 
> Requested on tumblr, "two cultures, one familia" in honor of ODAAT premiering today.
> 
> So the show messed up my timeline by messing up the timeline on the show. The pilot says they moved in ten months ago so we're gonna go with that and that they didn't know each other. I'll ask Gloria what happened on Twitter tomorrow.

"Papito, open the window, please. It's almost midnight. " Shooing him away from the couch Penelope walks to the bathroom looking for the bucket she's sure she stashed there earlier. Grabbing it from behind some cleaners she calls out over her shoulder for the only family member who was currently missing. "Elena! ¡Ven aca! Get off that computer."

“Found it,” Placing it in next to the sink, she dodges her mom and a bowlful of grapes.

"I told you not to give her a computer for Christmas." Of course, her mom would focus on Elena, never mind the fact that Alex had gotten one too. "But did you listen, of course not."

"Mami, it's New Years, I don't want to argue with you." Bracing her hands on the kitchen island she faces her mother head on, "Besides, it's time to teach her some personal responsibility."

"Mhmm," Was all her mother said, ignoring her Penelope began filling the bucket with water.

“Papito the window! And move the stuff on the fire escape.”

“Mom, Don Omar is about to perform!” Alex whines from the living room.

"Window. Now." With one last longing glance at the TV, Alex shuffles into the kitchen, trying and failing to snag a grape from bowl Lydia was minding.

“I don’t get why you like him. He sucks.” There she was, her always thrilled daughter. Hiding her smile, Penelope turns around to avoid the argument that’s about to ensue.

“At least it’s better than the stuff you call music.”

“What’s wrong with Hayley Kiyoko?”

Alex shrugs before pushing open the fire escape door, “Everything.”

“Hey!”

Ignoring the muffled bickering coming from outside Penelope waits for her mom to finish rinsing the grapes before placing the bucket in the sink and turning on the tap.

Only five minutes until 2016. Penelope was praying for a great year. Not so much praying, but more hopeful. She’d leave the prayers to her mother.

There was no way 2016 could suck more than 2015. No way. This year she'd ended up without a job, separated, and into a new apartment in a building that she would rather not have ended up in. All the preppiness was getting to her. Gentrification needed to back the fuck up.

2016 was looking up a little. Dr. Berkowitz was a good person to work for if you ignored Lori, and the double workload she was pulling until they hired another nurse. But at least she could begin planning Elena’s quinces. If she was somehow able to talk her into it.

“Lupita, your bucket is overflowing.”

"Shit," Turning off the water, she tips it a little, so she won't slosh everywhere when she tosses the water out of the window. She needs a good cleansing this year.

“2 minutes! Kids get in here.”

"Elena get the broom. Alex, you know what? I don't think that window is going to work. The fire escape is too big." There was no way the water would be able to make it all the way across. "Go open your abuelita's window, then help her count the grapes."

Grumbling, Alex did as he was told, and Elena set the broom by the door before coming back to join them at the table.

“Remember papito, twelve grapes one for each month.”

“I don’t get why we have to do this. It’s stupid.” Arms crossed, Elena’s patented look of disgust/annoyance was already perfectly set.

“10-9-8...” On the TV the countdown begins in Spanish, passing her a bowl Penelope turns in time to catch her mother's eye roll.

“7-6-5...”

"Eat your grapes, mija, for good luck." Lupe coaxes, she's not going to force feed them to her but it would be nice to not have push back on one thing.

“4-3-2…”

“Or you could have bad luck like mi Tío Luis. Did you know-”

“1! Felíz Año Nuevo!”

Elena eats the grapes along with the rest of them. Smothering a laugh Penelope tries her best to not look amused. Her mom has never been above using scare tactics.

In sync, Penelope and Lydia slam down their bowls. Now that that was out of the way they still had things to do.

“Okay mami, you grab the broom and I’ll throw the water.”

Hauling the bucket from the sink, she walks as fast as she can without spilling anything. Thankfully, the boy had listened to her and opened the window.

"Goodbye 2015. Hello, 2016." Tipping the bucket, she lets the water cascade, even if it's all superstition she can't deny she feels better. A shout from below has her leaning out the window to see what's going on.

“What the hell?!” Her landlord is dripping wet on the sidewalk below. Schmidt. Schneider. Steven. Something like that.

“Fuck,” Cursing softly Penelope chastises herself, she should have put more thought into throwing water off the third floor. Or checked to see if there was anyone below her building.

“Mami, watch the kids I’ll be right back.”

Making a beeline for the stairs she made it down in record time. Her landlord was still outside on the sidewalk. She barely knew him, aside from signing the lease and fixing some stuff they’d never had a reason to talk.

"It's not raining, it doesn't rain in L.A." Muttering to himself, he wrung out his shirt before attempting to dry his glasses.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry.” Schneider, she’s sure that’s his name because it rhymes with Snyder and reminds her of pretzels, was still outside staring up at the sky. “I didn’t know anyone was going to be outside since most people stay inside for the first couple of minutes because you know, guns.” Putting her hands in her pockets, she tried her best to stop herself from covering her mouth in shock, that would indicate she was guilty, when she wasn’t, not really.

Blinking, he finally turned to her like he was just now seeing her, “This was you?”

"Kinda." Schneider levels her a look over his square-framed glasses, and she caves so fast it's like she doesn't have kids she lies to daily. No, Alex, braces aren't annoying, you won't even notice. Or, yes, Elena, I do understand what you're talking about. "Yeah, it was me. C'mon up to my apartment. Let me give you a towel so you can dry off."

Schneider levels her with another look, this time a very different one.

“Ew, gross.” She shakes off the tremor of the disgust that just rushed through her before pointing upstairs. “My apartment with my mom and two kids.”

“Oh, right.”

Rolling her eyes, Penelope turns leading the way up the stairs to her apartment. Her mom was still at the door sweeping.

“Hola, Schneider. Why are you wet?”

Leaning on the door jamb he looks at Penelope. “Your daughter still hasn’t told me.”

“The water from the bucket fell on him.”

“Oh,” Penelope could tell her mom was trying not to laugh. He did look ridiculous, standing in their doorway in a soaked too tight shirt, looking like a drowned hipster rat. “Pobrecito Schneider. Lupe, get him a towel.”

“Going.” She’s already halfway to her room before her mom is done snapping her fingers.

"Hey, Mr. Schneider." Alex greets, ever the polite fifth grader.

“Please,” She hears him say, “Call me Schneider.”

When she comes back her mom has already seated him at the table and handed him a cup of coffee. The kids are watching TV together, no doubt glad to stay up past their bedtimes.

"Here you go." Penelope holds out the pinkest, fluffiest towel she could find. Schneider takes it with zero complaints and dries his hair before wrapping it around his shoulders and Lupe doesn't know what to do now. She'd expected a reaction, the usual macho man bullshit that is associated with someone who looks people up and down suggestively in a situation that doesn't call for it.

Taking a sip of his coffee Schneider silently looks around the apartment and she’s kind of hoping he doesn’t notice all the holes her mom's made to hang up her Pope pictures. “So, are you ever going to tell me why you dumped water on me.”

Pulling up a chair Penelope sits down as well since it appears he’s not going anywhere anytime soon, “It was an accident. It’s tradition for us, Cubans, to throw water out the window. It’s supposed to be a removal of all the bad luck that’s built up over the year. You just happened to walk by at the wrong time.”

“So, you throw water out of windows every year?”

“Yes, and we buy new clothes to wear, eat grapes, sweep out all the bad omens and, scrub the house clean.”

“Isn’t the sweeping and scrubbing the same thing?” Schneider asked confused.

"No, they're not. You clean your house, so you don't start off the year dirty, and you sweep to get rid of all the negative energy." She holds up her hands to stop the judgment that usually comes. "I know, it sounds stupid, but it's just what we do."

“It’s not stupid,” Schneider disagrees, “And even if it is, at least you have your family who does stupid things with you.” A flash of pain clouds his bright eyes, it’s gone so quickly can’t tell if she imagined it or if it’s just the light reflecting off his glasses. He changes the subject so quick that Penelope doesn’t even have a chance to ask him what he was doing outside. “I love this coffee Lydia, it’s amazing.”

“Gracias Schneider.”

“Yeah Schneider, thanks.”

They chat about inane things. It’s not long before she realizes he’s a shameless flirt with skills that rival her mom’s. But she finds herself listening to him, actually listening. It’s been so long since she’s heard the gringo point of view from a real live gringo and occasionally he does make a good point. Occasionally.

Somehow, it’s three o’clock and the kids and her mom have long since gone to bed and they’re still curled up on opposite ends of the couch sharing an afghan.

“Well, I’m going to get some sleep.” Stretching Penelope grimaces when her bare feet touch the ice-cold floor. She walks Schneider to the door, fumbling with the lock she finally manages to open it. Blinking sleepily up at him she leans on the door for support. “Good night.”

“Buenas noches Penelope.” His Spanish is horrible, but it’s cute that he actually attempted it, so she doesn’t tell him how bad it is. He gives her a small wave before heading to his own apartment.

“Schneider!” Schneider pauses in the darkened hallway.

“Yeah?”

"Don't be a stranger." It should feel weird inviting her strange, somewhat broken landlord to spend more time with them, but instead, it felt right. The slow smile that stretches across his tired features as well as the bashfulness that suddenly appears confirms her thoughts.

“I won’t.”

Penelope can't deny she's looking forward to it.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [tumblr](http://finehs.tumblr.com)


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